18 Jul 2019
NHS England has today launched a guide highlighting the important role dietitians and other Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) can play in delivering "Enhanced Health in Care Homes", a framework that forms a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
NHSE hopes Enhancing Health in Care Homes will be rolled out across care homes in England by 2022/23, and that it will address the inequality and lack of proper health assessment found in some care homes. The guide published today outlines how services can improve access to AHP services, reduce the need for hopsital admissions and take a "whole home" approach to care that ensures patients receive all round care.
The guide features case studies from across England highlighting how multi-disciplinary teams of AHPs can both deliver improved services to people in care homes directly, and train and support care home staff to deliver better care. This includes the innovative Airedale Digital Care Hub, which gives over 500 homes access to dietitians, occupational thereapists and paramedics via telehealth, reducing distruption to care home residents and improve access overall.
This is an very welcome peice of work, and the BDA hopes commissioners recognise the significant role AHPs have to play in delivering this important part of the Long Term Plan. Good practice already exists, and in AHPs, the NHS has an expert workforce which stands ready to deliver innovative services that can improve outcomes and improve efficiency.
Read more about how dietitians can help deliver the NHS Long Term Plan here.